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Thursday, August 2, 2012

Here are four authentic Aḥādīth that allows for a cooking person who is fasting to taste the food they are making. There is an authentic ḥadīth[1] where the Imām (عليه السلام) denies a person from tasting the food, but scholars interpret that ḥadīth as it being makrūh (undesirable) to taste the food without a reason (i.e. to check for salt, etc.).

The ḥadīth regarding a mother chewing the food for her child, if she happens to swallow it, she will have to spit three times.[2]

From al-Ḥalabī from Abī `Abd Allāh that he was asked about a women cooking and she is fasting and she tastes the broth in the pot. He (عليه السلام) said: ‘No problem’. He (al-Ḥalabī) said that he (عليه السلام) was asked about a women who has a child, and she is fasting, can she chew up the bread and feed him (the child)? So he (عليه السلام) said: ‘No problem, (also is the case) for a bird she has’[3]

From Hammād b. `Uthmān said, Ibn Abī Ya`fūr asked Abā `Abd Allāh (عليه السلام), that I heard a fasting person can pour medicine in his hears. He (عليه السلام) said, ‘Yes, and he can taste broth and he can chew for fledgling’[4]

`Alī b. Ja`far from his brother Mūsa (عليه السلام) said, ‘I asked him about a fasting person tasting the drink and food until he finds the food in his throat’. He (عليه السلام)said: ‘Do not do that’ I said: ‘And if he does (that), what is upon?’ He (عليه السلام) said: ‘There is nothing upon him, nor does he have to repeat (his fasts)’[6]